INBOUND ACCELERATOR

A blog dedicated to advancing inbound marketing and PR

We’ve talked in the past about setting goals and “doing the math” — you can’t know if you are succeeding, if you don’t know how to define success — but there is another step to take that has a similar ring to it:

Who is your marketing content talking to? Who is PR reaching? And what message does sales need to target to maximize ROI and bring in the most profitable customers?

If those targets and message don’t align from one department to another, you have a problem. While there are different types of alignment (here’s a look at aligning goals and expectations between departments), aligning the main message across all departments in order to focus on the best possible customers can be achieved by first creating solid buyer personas.

As marketers tackle branding—whether introducing a completely new brand or rebranding an existing company, product or service—the most focus is rightly on defining what the brand means. But there is another step that too many people overlook: defining the customer.

Developing inbound marketing campaigns requires carefully planning content for each stage of the sales funnel (aka buyers journey). Regardless of which specific method of segmenting you use (see three ways to consider the sales cycle here) the first level of content most prospects encounter will be designed to build awareness and introduce readers to your key areas of focus.

Keeping up with Kristin

I enjoy traveling the globe to meet with clients, educate companies about all things PR and Inbound Marketing, and speak at industry events. Meet up with me when I’m in your city. Where will I be next? Meet Kristin